Apparatus for dry disinfection of razors, surgical instruments, and the like



` March 10, C. B BRUNI ETAL v 4 APPARATUS FOR DRY-DISINFECTION'OFRAZORS, 4

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 5, 1958A 2 Sheets-Sheetl-V ,ZW non March 10, 1942-` A c. B. BRUNI Erm. 2,275,672

APPARATUS FORA DRY-DISINFECTION OF RAZORS,

SURGICAL-INSTRUMENTS, AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 277 "mmm" skin caused by saidrazors.

Patented Mar. 10, 1942 APPARATUS FOR DRY DISINFECTION RAzoRS, SURGICALINSTRUMENTS, AND

THE LIKE Carina Bergamini Bruni and Pietro Bruni, Pavia., ItalyApplication August 3, 1938, Serial No. 222,912 In Italy August 13, 19373 Claims.

The object of the present invention is a drydisinfecting apparatus forrazors, surgical instruments and the like. The Sterilisation of articlesto be used upon or by a number of different persons, `is one of thefundamental precepts of modern hygiene: particularly important is the`disinfection of razors, as skin-diseases are read-` ily transmittedthrough cuts or abrasione in the Special hygiene instructions giveproper rules for disinfecting razors. `Usually said disinfection is madeby dipping the razor in a vessel containing a liquid disinfectant: thismethod requires the razor to be `wiped, and when this is done with anon-steri lized towel, it does not secure the final` steriliza tion ofthe razor.

The particular feature of the present invention `is `that thedisinfecting apparatus includes a vessel with an opening `forintroducing the article to be disinfected'or sterilizedin connection`withmea-ns so arranged as to "keep the vessel practically tightrelatively to the outside air and so that the article to be disiniectedcan come in contact with the disinfecting gas.

The disinfecting gas or vapour can be 0b-` tained by heating a solid orliquid substance, a certain supply of the same being at hand tobeadmitted into said vessel for disinfection at any propertime and in therequired amount.

The invention can be used either for disinfecting razors or forsterilizing surgical instruments and the like.

The invention will be now disclosed in relation to the accompanyingdrawings which are given merely as examples of embodiments, limiting inno way the range of the invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of the apparatus as used in barbershops, partly shown` in section;

Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal section of the same, along line 2--2 ofFig.` 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial View at right angles to that `of Fig. 1, concerningthe small cover closing the `mouth for introducing the razor;

Fig. 4 is a `longitudinal section of a modification of the apparatusadapted for surgical in- 1 struments;

lindrical or prismatic body 2. formed preferably of transparent materialsuch as glass, mica, or uninflammable Celluloid, the body 2 being held`in place by the upper cover 3 and secured by means of the rods 4provided with threaded nuts 5. On the cover is placed a domed lid 6hinged on hinges 6 andicovering an opening 1, which latter is normallyclosed from beneath by a closing device compressing two rollers 8 and 8revolvable about their axes and guided by their axes in two slots 8ofthe guide I G. The rollers are kept in mutual contact by two pairs ofsprings IiV-Ili conveniently arranged as shown in Fig. 2 on the axes ofthe rollers and the guide. Said rollers are covered with an elasticcovering of rubber, leather or the like and keep normally the opening lclosed, being in contact with each other and with the under-side of thecover as shown in Fig. l.

On introducing any article in the vessel, said rollers are shiftedrotatably away one from another, allowing a passage for said articlewhich drops into a perforated instrument container il and slidablymounted along guides I2, so that the position thereof may be variedrelative to the cover. A set of springs I2' tends to keep said container`II resiliently in the upper position.

-It is thus possible to introduce articles into the vessel, avoiding andreducing to a minimum any external emanation ofthe disinfecting gas.

The disinfectants to be used as best adapted to the invention, are suchas vaporize at normal temperature or on a slight heating, namelylysoform, formalin, formaldehyde and the like.

The apparatus may nd also other uses, as for instance the disinfectionof bar-spoons, with a proper disinfectant and in general can be used inall cases in which small and medium sized articles have to bedisinfected without dipping them in a liquid.

On using disinfectants volatilizing at a certain temperature, it may beconvenient to use indicating means signalling the end of thedisinfecting operation, to which object such substances may be used aschange colour with the variations of the surrounding temperature. So,for instance, red oxide of lead (a bright red powder) may be used,which,` under the effect of temperature, gradually turns to dull red,down to very dark hues. With such a revealer (or with any other havingsimilar physical properties) it is easy to place some of it in a smalltransparent Window (for instance in mica) alongside a `properly colouredcard (forming a ring or a segment) to check the colour assumed by thechemicals during the operation.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 4 to 6, a box-shaped body 2a isprovided, in Whose bottom la is provided a cavity for the electricheating resistance Ia: said body 2a being closed by a `cover 3a providedwith handles I4 and with an upper cavity I5, perforated as at I6 andclosed by a screwed cap I1.

The articles to be disinfected are arranged in a basin I8 with a.perforated bottom and provided with lifting hooks I9. With reference tosaid embodiment of the invention, it should be notedthat, With somesolid disinfectants, gasifying when heated (as for instance formalin), amore efficient disinfection is secured when the gas is slightly wettedwith steam. To obtain this, near to or in the heating electricresistance Ia', a cavity 20 is arranged to be lled with water. As analternative, the tabloid of disinfectant may be wetted before beingplaced inside the apparatus, whereby its gasification takes place in aWet atmosphere.

For some special applications and particularly when operating in smallclosed rooms, the gases or vapours leaking out when articles are put inor taken out of the vessel, may have a disturbing effect with theirdisagreeable smell or with their more or less poisonous content;therefore, near to or preferably all around the mouth of the vessel,where the special closing devices are arranged, a substance capable ofgiving/on reacting with the disinfecting gases, an odourless compound orelse producing a non-gaseous compound which cannot leak into the air outof the vessel, is placed in a small chamber with a pierced wall as inI5, provided or not, in its turn, with a closing device.

So, for instance, n the case of formalin or formaldehyde, said above,mentioned substance may be ammonia, which can also be conveniently mixedwith glycerine or other substances. With such provisions, it is possibleto apply the principle to apparatus as shown in Figs. 4 to 6 havinglarge openings for introducing the articles, thus removing theroller-closure.

The applications specified above, concern mainly the disinfection ofsurgical instruments, or small ovens for sterilising articles of variednature` and shape, as brushes, combs, scissors, etc.

When said articles have been placed in the box or in the small oven, thedisinfecting gases developing from the tabloid placed at the bottom ofthe vessel, after having lled its capacity and disinfected the articles,is xed by a chemical substance placed in the neighbourhood of theopening, or openings I6, in the upper part of the apparatus.

As `soon as the cycle of operations is completed, the box cover or thedoor of the small oven can be opened without any danger of thedisinfecting gases passing into the surrounding atmosphere.

What we claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A portable dry disinfecting apparatus for razors and surgicalinstruments comprising a hollow vessel provided in the bottom with a.chamber for receiving a disinfectant, a heating element in the bottom ofthe chamber for eiTecting vaporization of the disinfectant, a perforatedinstrument container mounted within the vessel, a cover for the top ofthe vessel provided with an aperture, a secondary domed lid. removablycovering the aperture, and spring pressed rollers mounted beneath theundersurface ofthe cover for normally closing the aperture and betweenwhich instruments may be inserted into the instrument container, saidrollers forming a sealable closure for the aperture to prevent theescape of gases.

2. A portable dry disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in whichthe vessel includes a base, a transparent cylinder on the base, thecover being disposed on the top of the cylinder and provided withopposed slotted projections, and rods universally and resilientlyconnected to the base and detachably engageable with the slottedprojections and having adjustable elements on the ends thereof forholding the cover,

CARINA BERGAMINI BRUNI. PIETRO BRUNI.

